Horizontal Layout Tape

ABSTRACT

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a roofing tape for assisting in the installation of a plurality of selected roofing material to a roof section, the selected roofing material having a width, an offset requirement, and a gap requirement; the roofing tape including a front surface; a back surface; a first edge; a second edge; a first indicia disposed on the front surface of the roofing tape, located at a pre-determined distance from the first edge designating the starting position; a second indicia indicating placement of the first course, which is disposed at a location apart from the first indicia, the location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space; and a third indicia indicating placement of the second course, which is disposed at a location apart from the first indicia, the location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space minus half the width of the roofing material. Methods of using the roofing tape are additionally provided herein.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims benefit of priority to U.S. Application 60/958,264, which was filed on Jul. 3, 2007 and is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a measuring device and method to allow users to accurately and quickly identify vertical points or locations of a grid, in particular to aid in installation of building materials, including roofing materials, such as shingles and other protective materials.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Roofing materials in use today are becoming more and more complex, requiring specific rake overlaps, course overlaps, offsets, and other spacing and safety requirements. Often, the buildings upon which the roofing materials are to be installed have quite irregular dimensions, adding to the complication of the installation. Roofing materials require the user to calculate and locate very specific locations upon which to install the manufacturer-required shingle course overhangs and materials offsets, which may not only be time consuming and difficult, but may result in incorrect measurements and subsequently, incorrect installation. There is a need for a guide device to assist in the installation of these roofing materials.

The prior art discloses various guides used in the construction field. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,187,087 (Leary), U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,858 (Thomas), U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,670 (Brandt), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,590 (Wagner) disclose the use of a tape guide to position studs or beams. U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,797 (Sarasin) discloses the use of a mason's scale for laying courses of bricks. U.S. Pat. No. 308,574 (Poe) discloses the use of a shingling gage to help a roofer lay shingle. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,234 (Han) discloses a tape guide to assist in laying roof tiles.

Han discloses a device for use in laying out courses of tiles of various sizes made by various manufacturers. Specifically, a non-disposable tape is disclosed having coded indicia which, when extended along a roof from the eave, identify the roof course lines for tiles of particular manufacturers. Each series of spaced indicia apply to a specific manufacturer's tile type allowing for a three (3) inch overlap and are selected before the tape is extended on the roof. The tile roofing industry is uniquely concerned with maintaining the consistent constant overlap of the tiles so that proper runoff is achieved. Lines are drawn along the roof at the indicia points as the tape is extended, the tape is removed from the roof, and the tiles are laid according to the course lines. A procedure for addressing the last course of tiles toward the peak and sides of the roof is not disclosed, however, and application to other than simple gable roofs is not indicated. Thus, Han discloses an apparatus for assisting in laying tile according to the tile type and tile overlap requirements on simple even roofs.

To date, none of the prior art has addressed the problem a roofer faces in determining the correct amount of overlaps and offsets, as well as required shingle spacing, for installing shingles on a roof. Typically, the roofer must measure the roof, from the edge of the roof to the opposite edge, and then calculate the optimal spacing within the reveal space tolerance range that will provide the best fit for the rows and columns of shingles for that size roof. This method is time-consuming and subject to various inaccuracies. For example, the calculations usually are performed by trial and error and involve fractions. Moreover, once the calculations are performed, the roofer must then make many individual measurements on each end of the roof. Often, the result of making these numerous measurements is that parallax, also known as “creep,” occurs. This is when small errors in individual measurements accumulate and are magnified by the time the roofer installs the last row of shingles. Furthermore, the calculations become very difficult on uneven and intersecting roofs and roofs with other irregularities, such as dormers.

Finally, another problem faced in shingle roofing is that older homes often have irregular eaves and edges so that when a straight line of shingles is laid, the wavy area of the eave may not be covered by the shingles. For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a device that eliminates the need for a roofer to perform measurements and trial and error calculations in determining the correct reveal space for a roof, that eliminates the possibility for creep, and that facilitates the installation of shingles on uneven and intersecting roofs and roofs with other irregularities, such as dormers. In particular, there is currently a need for a device that allows the roofer to perform the installation of the roof while eliminating the foregoing problems associated with the prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The subject invention is a pre-determined and specifically created measuring device that allows a user to quickly, easily and accurately identify points or locations of a grid. In particular, the invention allows the user to identify points or locations of a grid process used in construction from which to snap vertical installation lines without the need for measuring, calculating, or abstract thinking about the placement of the installation lines. In particular, the invention relates to a measuring device for placement of shingles or other building materials to the roof of a building. The invention is particularly useful in installation of building materials which have specific installation restrictions and requirements, including offset, overhang, and gap space requirements.

In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a roofing tape for assisting in the installation of a plurality of selected roofing material to a roof section, the selected roofing material having a width, an offset requirement, and a gap requirement; the roofing tape including a front surface; a back surface; a first edge; a second edge; a first indicia disposed on the front surface of the roofing tape, located at a pre-determined distance from the first edge designating the starting position; a second indicia indicating placement of the first course, which is disposed at a location apart from the first indicia, the location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space; and a third indicia indicating placement of the second course, which is disposed at a location apart from the first indicia, the location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space minus half the width of the roofing material.

In another embodiment, there is provided a method of installing building materials to the surface of a building including the steps of: disposing a first tape horizontally across the surface of the building, the first tape including a first series of indicia; disposing a second tape horizontally across the surface of the building, substantially parallel to the first tape, the second tape including a second series of indicia aligned with the first series of indicia; disposing a marker vertically across the surface of the building, wherein the marker is disposed in alignment with an indicia on the first series of indicia and an indicia on the second series of indicia; and installing the building material at a location aligned with the marker.

The use of roofing tape described herein may help prevent against undesirable building material creep and installation error. Certain roofing or siding materials are known to be accordion-type stretchable products, which may undesirably creep and stretch if installed improperly. The use of the inventive roofing tape described herein may be used to help maintain the proper installation tension of the building material. Maintaining proper installation tension is useful to eliminate creep and installation human error by maintaining the exact spacing size for the given building material. Since many traditional standing seam roofing and siding products have multiple bends, each bend provides the potential for undesirable stretch during installation. Through the use of the roofing tape described herein, the installation of these building materials may be monitored and regulated, so as to avoid undesired stretching and ultimate failure in the installation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of representative embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 depicts the horizontally applied tape of the subject invention;

FIG. 2 depicts an alternate embodiment of the horizontally applied tape of the subject invention;

FIG. 3 depicts a method of the subject invention, wherein multiple pieces of horizontally applied tape are affixed to the roof of a building;

FIG. 4 depicts the method of FIG. 3, with the first piece of roofing material applied thereon;

FIG. 5 depicts the method of FIG. 3, with the first and second pieces of roofing material applied thereon;

FIG. 6 depicts the method of FIG. 3, with the first, second, and third pieces of roofing material applied thereon;

FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of the subject invention, wherein the horizontally applied tape is applied to the roof of a building via a continuous roll;

FIG. 8 depicts an alternate embodiment of the subject invention particularly useful in installation of non-roofing materials; and

FIG. 9 depicts a particular embodiment of the subject invention for bi-directional use of the horizontally applied roofing tape.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, one preferred embodiment of the roofing tape, indicated generally at 10, includes a front surface 11, a first edge 14, and a second edge 16. In use, the roofing tape 10 is laid such that the front surface 11 can be seen, and the back surface (not shown) is laid flat against the roof 12 of the building. For illustration purposes, the first edge 14 is the edge of the roofing tape 10 that faces away from the front 22 of the roof 12, while the second edge 16 of the roofing tape 10 is the edge that faces towards the front 22 of the roof 12. The front surface 11 includes various indicia 18 printed thereon, which are disposed at predetermined distances (preferably greater than zero) than the beginning of the tape 10. The indicia 18 are useful in placing the tape 10 at the desired location, relative to the side 20 of the roof 12. In a preferred embodiment, the roofing tape 10 described herein is designed to be laid in a horizontal fashion across the roof 12, as can be seen in FIG. 1.

The roofing tape 10 of the present invention is particularly useful when working with building materials, such as roofing shingles or siding. Although any building materials may be used with the present invention, for illustrative purposes the description herein will generally refer to installation of roofing shingles. Standard roofing shingles may have particular measurements and certain requirements for installation. For example, U.S. industry standard roofing shingles may have a height of 12 inches and an overhang requirement of ⅜ inch, while other shingles may have a height of 17 inches and a ⅜ inch overhang or gap requirement. The roofing tape 10 described herein is useful for any desired shingle having any height, length, and overhang/gap requirement. Although U.S. standards are used in this application to illustrate the invention, other standards are fully applicable, including any metric conversions thereof.

As can be seen, the front surface 11 of the tape 10 is marked with a plurality of indicia 18. Any number of indicia 18 may be marked on the roofing tape 10 as desired. The embodiment described in FIG. 1 includes six individual indicia 18A-18F marked on the roofing tape 10. These indicia 18 allow the user to locate and mark specific locations on which to install the building materials. In one embodiment, the first indicia 18A, is disposed at a location to indicate the edge 20 of the roof 12 on which the building materials are to be installed. The remaining indicia 18 may then be marked on the roofing tape 10 at desired locations consistent with the methods described herein, and discussed below.

The indicia 18 on the roofing tape 10 are designed to correlate to the requirements and sizes of the particular roofing materials desired to be used by the builder. In one embodiment, the roofing tape 10 may be printed by the user through means of a computer-generated imaging program, in which the user enters the specific length, width and restrictions/requirements associated with the particular roofing material to be used, and uses the computer to print out the particular indicia 18 on the tape 10. Alternatively, the tape 10 may be pre-printed with indicia 18 and ready for use. The resultant roofing tape 10 is a layout tape displaying the computer-generated image, which outlines the particular placement of the roofing materials onto the roof 12. In an alternate embodiment, depicted in FIG. 2, the roofing tape 10 may include more than one set of indicia 18, 18′. This embodiment is particularly useful for use on a continuous roll of roofing tape 10, which includes pre-printed indicia 18, 18′ along the roofing tape 10. The roofing tape 10 may be provided on a continuous roll of any desired length. In one aspect, the roll of roofing tape 10 includes about 200 feet of roofing tape 10, but may include any length from 10 feet to 500 feet.

The indicia 18 provided on the roofing tape 10 are designed to indicate the proper and precise placement of roofing materials onto the roof 12. Any desired number of indicia 18 may be provided on the front surface 16 of the roofing tape 10 as needed. Preferably, there are at least three distinct indicia 18 provided on the roofing tape 10. One indicia 18 indicates the location of the roofing tape 10 to be folded, and which optionally provides the roof 12 an overhang at the edge 20 of the roof 12. A second indicia 18 indicates the width of the roofing material to be used plus any required gap length for the first course. Finally, a third indicia 18 indicates the width of the roofing material to be used plus any required gap length, minus half the width for the second course. In a preferred embodiment, the indicia 18 indicating the location of the roofing tape 10 to be folded (i.e., the first indicia 18 described above) is smaller than the indicia 18 that indicates the width of the roofing material to be used plus any required gap length for the first course.

Preferably, the roofing tape 10 is made from a polyolefin weather-resistant, non-stretchable material, but may be made from any desired material. The roofing tape may, for example, be made of metal, fiberglass, or other weather-resistant materials, which remain substantially stable through various weather conditions, including heat, cold, wet and dry conditions. The back surface of the roofing tape 10 may be provided with a pressure-sensitive, thermally diverse adhesive layer to facilitate retention of the roofing tape 10 against the surface of the roof 12. Alternatively, the roofing tape 10 may be affixed to the roof 12 by staples, nails, or any other physical attachment means. Due to its composition, the roofing tape 10 may be applied to a roof 12 on which an ice and water shield, such as WinterGuard™, has been previously applied. The indicia 18 on the roofing tape 12 will remain visible for any desired length of time, and may remain visible for days or weeks in this environment. In traditional roofing methods, the user is required to make a series of manual markings directly on the roof 12 itself, which have a tendency to disappear in a relatively short period of time and “melt” off from exposure to the sun.

Preferably, the roofing tape 10 is wound onto a spool 34, such as shown in FIG. 7. An applicator 35 may be clipped onto or attached to the spool 34 so that the applicator 35 may be pivoted about the spool 34. Applicator 35 allows a user to easily apply the roofing tape 10 onto the surface of the roof 12 by holding the portion of the applicator 35 and pulling the roofing tape 10 in the desired direction. As depicted in FIG. 7, in a preferred embodiment, the user begins placement of the roofing tape 10 at the edge 20 of the roof 12, and directs the roofing tape 10 in a horizontal direction, as close as possible to a line parallel to the peak 36 of the roof 12.

The roofing tape 10 may be used on even roofs (roofs with equal heights at the two ends), uneven roofs (roofs with unequal heights at the two ends), and intersecting roofs. To install roofing materials, such as shingles, onto the roof 12, the user places the back surface of the roofing tape 10 against the surface of the roof 12 while aligning the first indicia 18A (also known as a “start indicator”) with the side edge 20 of the roof 12. Alternatively, if the side edge 20 of the roof 12 is irregular or warped due to previous poor workmanship, age or weathering, the roofing tape 10 may be adjusted as needed such that at least one of the indicia 18 is aligned with the edge 20 of the roof 12. The user then guides the roofing tape 10 along the roof 12 in a line substantially parallel to the peak 36 and/or the front 22 of the roof 12, preferably utilizing applicator 35 to do so. Once the roofing tape 10 has reached the desired length for installation, the user may begin installing the roofing materials as described below.

In addition to the installation and placement of roofing shingles, the roofing tape 10 described herein may be used to install other building materials onto a building, including metal siding, such as vertical metal paneled wall siding, and standing seam metal roofing. The roofing tape 10 also allows the user to quickly and accurately install other building materials, such as studs, trusses, tile, slate, suspended ceilings, flooring, and other building materials that require specific alignments. As will be appreciated by one of skill in the art, individual building materials have varying sizes and overhang/spacing requirements. For example, Majestic Slate, a roofing material manufactured by Eco-Star (a division of Carlisle Syntec) is 12″ wide, and requires both a 6″ off-set between courses and all courses require a ⅜″ gap between each piece. In this installation, for example, the indicia 18 on the roofing tape 10 are substantially evenly-spaced apart, since the building material requires an even off-set and gap distance between each course.

However, certain building materials require specific spacing and overlap of the materials that may differ between courses of installation. For example, the manufacturer's specifications for GAF Camelot Shingles, which are 17″ high and 34.5″ wide, require a full shingle installation with a ⅜″ overlap of the rake drip edge 32, followed by an offset of 4 15/16″ for the next shingle course. Following that course, an offset of 8⅝″ is required for the next shingle course, and then a 12 15/16″ offset for the fourth shingle course is required. Following this requirement, another full shingle is installed and the four courses outlined above are repeated with respect to the full shingle.

The indicia 18 on the roofing tape 10 may be evenly-spaced apart, or they may allow for increased/reduced offset requirements between courses, such as with building materials like the GAF Camelot Shingles described above. The indicia 18 on the roofing tape 10 are specific to the particular building material used, including any off-set requirements and gap space requirements. For example, the roofing tape 10 may allow the installation of building materials requiring indicia 18 at 6″, 8″, 10″, 12″, 16″, 24″ (plus any allowances for particular spacing/overhang requirements), or any other desired width. The roofing tape 10 allows for the installation of building materials from 3″ to 100″ wide, allowing for any length of off-set, overhang, and/or any required gap spaces.

The roofing tape 10 described herein may be used by itself to provide the user with a precise and detailed arrangement of the placement of the building materials. Alternatively, the roofing tape 10 may be used in conjunction with a vertical layout tape system, such as that described in detail in Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 6,511,741 entitled “Roofing Tape”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in full. Although the methods and procedures described herein are not intended to limit the user to use the roofing tape 10 in conjunction with the vertical layout tape described in the foregoing U.S. patent, the preferred method is by using the roofing tape 10 and vertical layout tape together.

When used in conjunction with the vertical layout tape described in the foregoing U.S. patent, the roofing tape 10 may provide the required off-set markings 18 within the first several feet of the vertical tape, identifying locations on the roof 12 at which to snap vertical lines for installation grid lines. By using both the roofing tape 10 and the vertical layout tape, the user can then install the roof without any manual measurements, quickly and accurately. With reference to FIGS. 3-6, a process of installing building materials by using both the roofing tape 10 and vertical layout tape 24 is depicted. The roofing tape 10 described herein identifies a specific vertical location on the roof 12 where the user may install the aforementioned vertical layout tape 24. Proper placement of the vertical layout tape 24 allows the user to create any desired specific drip edge overlap 32 over the side 20 of the roof 12. This eliminates the need to cut the particular building material to form the drip edge 32, resulting in reduced labor costs and a significant reduction in the likelihood of error in creating the drip edge 32.

A method of installation of building materials, such as roofing shingles, is provided herein. With reference to FIGS. 3-6, the roofing tape 10 includes a series of indicia 18A-18F on the front surface 16 of the tape 10. The indicia 18 are printed on the roofing tape 10 at locations designed to correlate with the particular sizes and requirements of the building materials to be used. Although the user may print the particular indicia 18 at any desired locations, a preferred embodiment of printing the indicia 18 is provided herein. Indicia #1 (18A) depicts the location of the start of the building materials to be installed, for example, aligned with the side 20 of the roof 12. As can be seen in the Figures, indicia #1 (18A) may be located between at least two other indicia (18F, 18E), to allow for set-backs or other requirements as will be described below. Indicia #1 (18A) depicts the starting point to install the building materials. This allows the user to begin the process of installation without any measuring or calculating.

In this particular embodiment, indicia #2 (18B) corresponds to the opposite end of the building material, and indicates the location on the roof 12 from the starting point at which to place a marker in a direction perpendicular to the roofing tape 10. For example, the marker may be a vertical layout tape 24, or it may be a vertical line drawn on the surface of the roof 12. The location indicated by indicia #2 (18B) provides the location for the placement of the building material starting point to create the desired overlap for the particular roof 12.

In this embodiment, indicia #3 (18C) depicts the specific first offset location from the roofing tape 10 for the first cut building material, with reference to the vertical layout tape 24 location. As may be appreciated by one of skill in the art, the location of the starting point (indicia #1 (18A)) and the vertical layout tape 24 (placed at indicia #2 (18B)), allows the user to place the desired building materials in proper location to create the desired look of the building.

In this particular embodiment, indicia #4 (18D) indicates the specific second offset location from the tape 10 for the first cut building material in reference to the vertical layout tape 24 location. Indicia #5 (18E) indicates the specific third offset location from the tape 10 for the second cut shingle in reference to the vertical layout tape 24 location. Roofing tape 10 may include as many indicia 18 as needed or desired to satisfy any specifications and requirements for the particular building materials used.

If desired, optional indicia #6 (18F) may be printed on the roofing tape 10 to provide for additional spacing. For example, if an end wall area is being used as a starting point for the roofing tape 10, indicia #6 (18F) may be included to allow for a specific spacing away (or “set back”) from the end wall. Indicia #6 (18F) indicates the edge of the end wall, or other start point, at which to install the tape 10 to create a set back from the starting edge 20 of the roof 12. Indicia #1 (18A) again marks the location of the staring point of the installation for the building materials. Thus, indicia #6 (18F) allows the user to easily shift the entire installation as required (or desired) to create the required gap or spacing away from the end wall.

In a method of installation, the user begins by selecting the particular building material to be used, and generates the particular roofing tape 10 specific for that building material, including the material width, as well as any off-set requirements and spacing requirements. The roofing tape 10 may be pre-printed with the required indicia 18, or the indicia 18 may be generated by the user through means of a computer program to print the indicia 18 onto the roofing tape 10.

With the proper indicia 18 printed on the roofing tape 10 for the particular installation, the user begins by folding the roofing tape at indicia #1 (18A) and applying the tape 10 horizontally on the roof 12, beginning at the desired starting point on the roof 12. For example, the starting point may be the side edge 20 of the roof 12. The user applies the tape 10 by unrolling the tape 10 along the roof 12 to the point of exposing indicia #2 (18B). If desired, the user may repeat the application process with a second roofing tape 10′ at a location closer to the peak 36 of the roof 12 (and parallel to the first roofing tape 10). As explained above, any desired means to attach the roofing tape 10 to the roof 12 may be used. With the two roofing tapes 10, 10′ applied to the roof 12, a vertical marker may be applied at the points indicated by indicia #2 (18B, 18B′). If desired, the user may attach a vertical layout tape 24 at this location, or the user may simply snap a reference chalk line 26 along the line connecting points indicated by indicia #2 (18B, 18B′). The user may use a vertical layout tape 24, a chalk line 26, or both, depending on preference. The user then may snap an individual chalk line 26 along the lines connecting any or all of indicia #3 (18C, 18C′), indicia #4 (18D, 18D′) and indicia #5 (18E, 18E′), such that all of the vertical lines indicated by chalk lines 26 have been placed on the roof 12, as depicted in FIG. 3. If more indicia 18 are used, the user may snap chalk lines 26 connecting the additional indicia 18. Chalk lines 26 may be disposed (or “snapped”) onto the roof 12 by any desired means. The user may snap a chalk line 26 at any time desired, and preferably the chalk line 26 is snapped before installation of the drip edge 32. Once the drip edge 32 is straight, all future vertical chalk lines 26 will ensure that the horizontal installation lines snapped off those vertical lines 26 are straight across the entire roof 12.

With reference to FIG. 4, once the chalk lines 26 have been placed, the user begins installing the building material correlating with the particular roofing tape 10 used. The first full piece of building material 30 is installed onto the roof 12, such that the edge of the first full piece of building material 30 aligns with the line generated by indicia #2 (18B, 18B′). This line is indicated by the vertical layout tape 24 and/or the chalk line 26. If desired, the first full piece of building material 30 may be fit such that a portion of its side hangs over the side 20 of the roof 12, creating a rake drip edge 32. The rake drip edge 32 is thus formed without the need to cut or size the first full piece of building material 30, which reduces the likelihood of error or complication.

With reference to FIG. 5, once the first full piece of building material 30 has been installed, the user may then install a second course of building material 38. The second course of building material 38 is installed such that its side aligns with the chalk line 26 generated along indicia #3 (18C, 18C′). As with the first full piece of building material 30, if desired, the second course of building material 38 may hang over the side 20 of the roof 12 to create a desired rake drip edge 32. With reference to FIG. 6, after the second course of building material 38 is installed, the user may install a third course of building material 40, such that its side aligns with the chalk line 26 created along indicia #4 (18D, 18D′). This process of installing courses along subsequent chalk lines 26 may be repeated until the desired number of building material courses are installed, with each one aligning with subsequent chalk lines 26 generated along the various indicia 18 used.

Once the final course of building material is installed for that particular section, the user may begin installation on another section. The installation procedure outlined above may be repeated as many times as necessary until the desired installation is complete, such as with complete covering of the roof 12 or the complete covering of a particular section. As may be appreciated, the building material may be installed such that the first full piece of building material 30 hangs over the front 22 of the roof 12, to create a drip edge on the front 22 of the roof 12.

As described above, the roofing tape 10 may include optional indicia #6 (18F), as a starting point for those areas requiring a set back. For example, there may be a vertical wall close to the edge of the roof 12, away from which the user may desire to install the building materials. All installation steps described above and depicted in FIGS. 3-6 are repeated, except that there will be no installation of building materials between the lines along indicia #1 (18A) and indicia #6 (18F). This results in the entire installation simply being shifted over a distance equal the desired shift length.

The roofing tape 10 may be manufactured with indicia 18 pre-printed on the front side 16 of the roofing tape 10, such that generic roofing materials may be installed onto a roof 12. In this embodiment, the roofing tape 10 may be compatible with generic roofing layout materials, and may be utilized in conjunction with existing vertical layout tapes 24. In particular, the generic roofing tape 10 may be used to install, for example, 5″ reveal shingles, 5⅝″ reveal shingles, 6″ reveal shingles, or any other standard shingle width. In this embodiment, the roofing tape 10 is created as beginning tape extensions of existing vertical layout tape 24, simply by cutting off the roofing tape 10 to create vertical lines along the roof 12 at desired locations (i.e., to correlate with the required reveal length of the generic roofing material). After the vertical lines are created, the remaining vertical layout tape 24 may then be used to create horizontal lines across the roof 12. Once the vertical and horizontal lines have been created along and across the roof 12, the installation grid is complete, and installation of the generic roofing material can easily be completed.

In another embodiment and with reference to FIG. 8, roofing tape 100 may be used to aid in the installation of non-roofing materials, including studs, trusses, rafters and joists onto an installation sill plate or any other desired surface, and then may install the appropriate roofing or siding material. In this embodiment, the non-roofing material itself acts as the line connecting indicia locations without the need for human measurement or calculation, thus greatly reducing errors in installation. In this embodiment, the roofing tape 100 has a front side 102, a back side (not shown), a first edge 104 and a second edge 106. The back side of the roofing tape 100 includes a means for attachment to a building structure, such as a wall or roof. The front side 102 of the roofing tape 100 includes a series of indicia 110 printed thereon. In a preferred embodiment, the indicia 110 are pre-printed on the roofing tape 100, but a user may print the indicia 110 on the roofing tape 100 if desired. The printing of indicia 110 on the roofing tape 100 is preferably accomplished through the use of a computer-generated printing system, though the user may print indicia 110 in any fashion desired. As this embodiment allows the installation to maintain the exact spacing size for the roofing or siding material, creep and installation error are significantly, if not completely, reduced.

In this embodiment, the series of indicia 110 includes three spaced rows of indicia, designated as 110, 110′ and 110″. The roofing tape 100 may include any number of individual indicia 110 desired. For illustrative purposes only, FIG. 8 depicts six indicia 110. In this embodiment, at least two pieces of the roofing tape 100 are placed at each end of the installation area, substantially parallel to each other. Once the roofing tapes 100 are placed, the desired non-roofing product (i.e., the stud, truss, rafter, or joist) may be installed at any desired locations aligned with the indicia 110 between the parallel roofing tapes 100. Since the roofing tapes 100 include three spaced rows of indicia 110, 110′, 110″, the user may select any desired spacing at which to install the desired non-roofing product. In this fashion, the installed non-roofing product serves as a connector between the indicia 110, such that the user can then install the roofing or siding material appropriately and accurately. This embodiment avoids the need to draw chalk lines on the installation area as described above, since the desired non-roofing product serves as the grid for installing the roofing and/or siding materials.

In one particular embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, roofing tape 50, having a front side 52, a back side (not shown), a first edge 54 and a second edge 56 includes a series of three distinct indicia types printed thereon. This embodiment is particularly useful in allowing for bi-directional use of the roofing tape 50, while still providing the user with quick, easy, and accurate measurements with which to install the building materials, such as roofing shingles. In this embodiment, a first indicia 58 runs completely along the width of the roofing tape 50, from the first edge 54 to the second edge 56. First indicia 58 identifies the location where a full finished vertical slate side of the shingle should be placed for proper installation, taking into account the width of the shingle plus any required offsets and/or gap space. A second indicia 60 includes a half mark (or hash mark) printed substantially in the center of the roofing tape 10 between first edge 54 and second edge 56. The second indicia 60 identifies the location where a cut or half-slate side should be placed for proper installation, again taking into account the width of the shingle and any required offsets and/or gaps. Finally, at substantially equal lengths along the roofing tape 50, a third indicia 62 is printed on the front side 52 of roofing tape 50. Preferably, this third indicia 62 is visually distinctive from the first indicia 58 and second indicia 60, such as through use of dashed lines or other icons. It is preferred to include the third indicia 62 at equal lengths along the roofing tape 50 to allow for bi-directional use. In one embodiment, the third indicia 62 markings are separated by 12 foot intervals, but any intervals may be used to correlate with the particular shingle used. In addition to allowing for bi-directional use, this embodiment creates a mid-roof start point so as not to confuse the various markings needed for snapping vertical lines, and it provides for a location to allow for any required or desired drip edge without the need for additional measurements or calculation.

If desired, the roofing tape 50 may include written instructions printed thereon. For example, the notation “start right, align left” or “start left, align right” may be printed on the roofing tape 50 at desired locations. The front surface 52 of the roofing tape 50 may include any combination of letters and/or numbers and/or icons for communication with the user. Further, the indicia 58, 60, 62 may be any shape or design desired, including letters, numbers, and/or icons. In one particular embodiment, the instructions are printed on the roofing tape 50 at a location proximal to the third indicia 62, to allow for bi-directional use.

EXAMPLES

The following Examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention in any way.

Example 1 Installation of GAF Grand Timberline Shingles

A roof was installed with a covering of GAF Grand Timberline Shingle. GAF Grand Timberline Shingle is 17″ high by 40″ wide per full, individual piece of shingle. According to the manufacturer's specifications, installation of this shingle requires a full shingle installation with a ⅜″ overlap of the rake drip edge on the side of the house. Following the full shingle installation, the manufacturer's specifications require an offset of 7.5″ for the next shingle course, followed by an offset of 15″ for the next shingle course, and then followed by a 22″ offset for the final shingle course. Once this final course has been installed, the specification calls for installation of a full shingle at the next desired location.

The roofing tape was prepared with indicia marked thereon indicating proper placement of the shingles pursuant to manufacturer's specifications. The roofing tape was laid on the roof, and vertical layout tape was placed at the location of indicia #2. The installation grid was then completed on the roof, and the shingles were installed as required. The installation created a full, working roof cover pursuant to manufacturer's specifications. The roof was accurately installed without individual human measurements required.

Example 2 Installation via a Continuous Roll of Roofing Tape

A continuous roll of roofing tape was provided, manufactured on a 200 food continuous indicia marking roll. The material to be installed was Majestic Slate by Eco-Star. Each individual slate was 12″ wide, and required a 6″ off-set between courses. Further, each course required a ⅜″ gap between each piece. The roofing tape had a 12⅜″ mark on one side of the front of the roofing tape, and a corresponding mark with a 6″ offset on the opposite side of the front of the roofing tape. Thus, these indicia created the strike line locations for all vertical installation lines of both the full shingle courses and the 6″ step shingle courses, complete with the ⅜″ gap between each shingle.

No individual measurement and human calculation was needed for this installation. The roofing tape was accurate to one pel in 25′.

Example 3 Installation via a Continuous Roll of Roofing Tape with an End Wall

Similar to the process described in Example 2, a roofing of Majestic Slate material is installed on a building with an end wall present. In this Example, the roofing tape includes indicia #6 on the side of the roofing tape proximal to Indicia #1 with a ⅜″ gap between indicia #6 and indicia #1. The roofing tape is placed on the roof to align indicia #6 along the end wall. Thus, the resultant roof includes a ⅜″ gap between the end wall and the installed roofing.

No individual measurement and human calculation is needed for this installation. The roofing tape is accurate to one pel in 25′.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated herein by reference to representative embodiments thereof, it will be understood that such embodiments are susceptible of variation and modification without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed. All such variations and modifications, therefore, are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims 

1. A roofing tape for assisting in the installation of a plurality of selected roofing material to a roof section, the selected roofing material having a width, an offset requirement, and a gap requirement, the roofing tape comprising: a. a front surface; b. a back surface; c. a first edge; d. a second edge; e. a first indicia disposed on the front surface of said roofing tape, located at a pre-determined distance from said first edge designating the starting position; f. a second indicia indicating placement of the first course, which is disposed at a location apart from said first indicia, said location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space; and g. a third indicia indicating placement of the second course, which is disposed at a location apart from said first indicia, said location being equal to the width of the roofing material plus any required gap space minus half the width of the roofing material.
 2. The roofing tape of claim 1, further comprising additional indicia for placement of additional courses.
 3. The roofing tape of claim 1, wherein said roofing tape comprises a weather resistant material.
 4. The roofing tape of claim 1, wherein said back surface comprises an adhesive for attachment of said back surface to a building structure.
 5. The roofing tape of claim 1, further comprising letters and/or numbers on said front surface.
 6. The roofing tape of claim 1, further comprising an applicator for applying the tape to the surface of a building.
 7. The roofing tape of claim 6, wherein said applicator is a spool and said tape is disposed around said spool.
 8. A method of installing building materials to the surface of a building comprising: a. disposing a first tape horizontally across the surface of said building, said first tape including a first series of indicia; b. disposing a second tape horizontally across the surface of said building, substantially parallel to said first tape, said second tape including a second series of indicia aligned with said first series of indicia; c. disposing a marker vertically across the surface of said building, wherein said marker is disposed in alignment with an indicia on said first series of indicia and an indicia on said second series of indicia; and d. installing said building material at a location aligned with said marker.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said vertical marker comprises a vertical layout tape.
 10. The method of claim 8, wherein said vertical marker comprises a chalk line.
 11. The method of claim 8, comprising a plurality of markers, wherein each marker is disposed in alignment with an indicia on said first series of indicia and an indicia on said second series of indicia.
 12. The method of claim 8, wherein said indicia are disposed at predetermined locations corresponding to the width of said building material plus any required overset and/or gap spaces.
 13. The method of claim 8, wherein said building material comprises a roofing material. 